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Perfect plasmonic absorption and transparency:The anti-lasing spaser

Perfect plasmonic absorption and transparency:The anti-lasing spaser
Perfect plasmonic absorption and transparency:The anti-lasing spaser
Time reversal inverts the direction of light propagation and converts gain into loss. Under time reversal, a laser emitting coherent light becomes a ‘coherent perfect absorber’, as recently demonstrated in a bulk optical cavity device that can absorb all radiation incident upon it [Science 331, 889 (2011)]. Here we show that when the concept of time reversal is applied in plasmonics, regimes of perfect transparency and perfect absorption can be achieved in a system of sub-wavelength thickness - a single layer of nanostructured metal less than one tenth of a wavelength thick. We demonstrate the phenomenon experimentally in a 'lasing spaser' configuration, using a planar metamaterial array of plasmonic resonators. We show that by controlling the interference between counter-propagating beams on a thin, lossy plasmonic film one can either eliminate or double the plasmonic Joule loss of energy (or indeed achieve any intermediate level). The highly sensitive system of beams interacting on a metamaterial film in precise resonant balance may serve applications in sensing, coherent detection, high-bandwidth variable attenuation and unique light coherence control devices.
Zhang, J.
7ce15288-2016-4b9c-8244-7aed073363ca
MacDonald, K.F.
76c84116-aad1-4973-b917-7ca63935dba5
Zheludev, N.I.
32fb6af7-97e4-4d11-bca6-805745e40cc6
Zhang, J.
7ce15288-2016-4b9c-8244-7aed073363ca
MacDonald, K.F.
76c84116-aad1-4973-b917-7ca63935dba5
Zheludev, N.I.
32fb6af7-97e4-4d11-bca6-805745e40cc6

Zhang, J., MacDonald, K.F. and Zheludev, N.I. (2012) Perfect plasmonic absorption and transparency:The anti-lasing spaser. Photon 12, Durham, Durham, United Kingdom. 03 - 06 Sep 2012.

Record type: Conference or Workshop Item (Paper)

Abstract

Time reversal inverts the direction of light propagation and converts gain into loss. Under time reversal, a laser emitting coherent light becomes a ‘coherent perfect absorber’, as recently demonstrated in a bulk optical cavity device that can absorb all radiation incident upon it [Science 331, 889 (2011)]. Here we show that when the concept of time reversal is applied in plasmonics, regimes of perfect transparency and perfect absorption can be achieved in a system of sub-wavelength thickness - a single layer of nanostructured metal less than one tenth of a wavelength thick. We demonstrate the phenomenon experimentally in a 'lasing spaser' configuration, using a planar metamaterial array of plasmonic resonators. We show that by controlling the interference between counter-propagating beams on a thin, lossy plasmonic film one can either eliminate or double the plasmonic Joule loss of energy (or indeed achieve any intermediate level). The highly sensitive system of beams interacting on a metamaterial film in precise resonant balance may serve applications in sensing, coherent detection, high-bandwidth variable attenuation and unique light coherence control devices.

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More information

Published date: 2012
Venue - Dates: Photon 12, Durham, Durham, United Kingdom, 2012-09-03 - 2012-09-06
Organisations: Optoelectronics Research Centre

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 376394
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/376394
PURE UUID: 4a718978-5a06-49da-8e8f-cd24ec7121e3
ORCID for K.F. MacDonald: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0002-3877-2976
ORCID for N.I. Zheludev: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0002-1013-6636

Catalogue record

Date deposited: 24 Apr 2015 11:01
Last modified: 06 Mar 2024 02:38

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Contributors

Author: J. Zhang
Author: K.F. MacDonald ORCID iD
Author: N.I. Zheludev ORCID iD

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